Monash head leaves over plagiarism charge

The British vice-chancellor of Australia's biggest university is to stand down after admitting plagiarism.

Australian news websites reported last week that David Robinson would be leaving his post at Monash University in Melbourne.

Professor Robinson had admitted two incidents of plagiarism in the 1970s, but apologised "unreservedly" when they were discovered in the 1980s.

However, a third allegation of plagiarism surfaced last week, which prompted the professor's departure. Professor Robinson had not informed the university of the allegations when he began working there in 1996, but had told previous employers.

The professor said the pressure to publish forced him to inadequately acknowledge the work of other academics in his 1976 book, From Drinking to Alcoholism: a Sociological Commentary.

In a second book, Drug Use and Misuse: Cultural Perspectives, 20 sentences were directly quoted from another book and used as his own.

"Professor Robinson and I have agreed that it is best for Monash that he stands down today," said Jerry Ellis, the university's chancellor. He added a replacement would be found as soon as possible.

"This has been a difficult period for Monash," he said. "I now urge the Monash community to look to the future with confidence and commitment."

Last week Professor Robinson told the Times newspaper that the matters that had "been dealt with and resolved more than 20 years ago".

"Following my immediate and unreserved apology, no further action was taken by the publishers, the authors, or by my employers."